Sunday, May 31, 2009

So I have been burying myself in my literature review basically to distract myself and avoiding the very real family crisis that is going on at the moment - given I am far, far away and feeling a little helpless. My mum has been told that her heart is so badly traumatised by her congestive heart failure (not to mention al the other things) that they cant replace the pacemaker that is currently failing - she wont survive any type of surgery and they basically they have sent her home with the expectation that she wont see out the year. So Im gutted. My supervisor has been good and said I can take time off to go home - but I need to time it right given I cant afford to make the trip more than once. I was trying distraction but apparently not that well.

So I was head down bum up trying really hard to focus on the lit review - but with the help of a friend realised that to a large extent what i was writing was skimming the surface, trying to cover too much and not enough detail. It also hasnt been any near where the level of my writing usually is - so it is in other words crap! So i have set it aside and made up a new plan of attack hopefully supervisor will agree to it. Starting next week after an intensive programming course which I had asked for earlier prior to the current goings on but I need to get my shit together and get things done - focus Eppendork - focus! But it's hard.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Notice no fullstop at the end of infinitum because although you can get to the end of the word infinitum the concept itself just goes on and on and on and on and on. Much like lit review writing, thesis writing and the writing of those loverly journal articles we all like to prize above all else epeshially if they manage to get snagged by the she daddies of the science world in terms of journals. Eppendork is not so lucky. Although she has two more articles out of her MSc .than previously (they are still in the process - one in press the other submitted) neither of them will be submitted to the double mecca of dynastic scitholicism, just plain ole respectabible journals that dont do the bells and whistles and pretty sequins. No, no she is currently writing for a lit review and my what fun she is having - gee if i had known it would all be picnics and fuzzie bunnies I would have done this sooner!

Note to self: sarcasm may go over heads of readers - I don't think its fluffy bunnies at all and if the weather would just stay sunny for a while it may be picnic weather. It's Saturday and I have been head down bum up for way longer than I care to admit - and I may be just procrastinating now and yes, yes I am procrastinating. Rather I am giving the brain a little rest and I will be back into it asap because really chickens I do see the light at the end of the tunnel today - didn't yesterday - its babysteps.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Tired of gingham - so March! I am had long day at the Biosafety cabinet chickens so Eppendork is tired and thought about Abel Pharmboy's little titilating rant about vaccintions and sexy, sexy videos. I was going to have a rant balanced discussion about the pro's and con's of vaccinating your beautiful children - very little con's lots of pro's to be very honest and how more discussion and talking with people who don't have 7 year degrees is a good thing (and I realise here that saying if you have Phd or a MD you are going to vaccinate your child is not always true but more likely I think if the PhD is in some form of Science). How ever I don't think it matters how much we the microbiologists, the medical plethora and other scientists say vaccinate your child those who really dont want to aren't going to. Which saddens me but not a lot you can do about it. I still think it does border on child abuse - when a disease is preventable it should be prevented. Fullstop. End of story. If you want a nice discussion about how vaccines work ToasterSunshine has one. I am just too sleepy.